The present invention relates to a cooler, and, more specifically, to a cooler used to transport and preserve a deer head and hide after harvesting.
When a hunter kills a large buck, he often wishes to keep the buck head and hide and have them mounted by a taxidermist. After harvesting the buck, the hunter must transport the head and hide from the hunting location preferably in a “fresh” condition so as not to damage the head and antlers during transportation. The head and hide must remain cool in order to preserve the deer for mounting.
Naturally, the large and irregular shape of the antlers presents a special problem. Conventional units are used to cool and transport the whole animal. They are designed to preserve the meat of the animal for consumption. These are not successful at preserving the head and hide for mounting purposes, nor do they protect the antlers or horns of game animals.
Various solutions were offered to solve the problem. One of such solutions is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,705, which discloses a portable ice chest with a soft top that can be used to cool and transport the head and hide of a deer. This device has hard sides and a hard bottom which make it unwieldy, heavy, and impractical to carry into a hunt.
The present invention contemplates provision of a cooler that is convenient and lightweight for transportation to and from the hunting location and is configured for transporting head and hide of the dead wild animal.